Google Pixel 4 & 4 XL – Good Video Shooters?
It’s major smartphone manufacturer new model leak season. Recently, Apple have been leaking details about their upcoming iPhone 11 release. And Google have been doing the same for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL.
Google has struggled to match sales for the Pixel range of smartphones to other leaders in the market. The highest selling of all the models was the first and sales have decreased with each new model release.
In fact, smartphone sales are down for everyone at the moment. But the Pixel phone has been hit harder than other leading brands, perhaps because they are newer to the game than Samsung, Apple or even OnePlus.
Pixels have been good for video
When it comes to shooting video, I’ve been a fan of Google phones since the first Pixel was released in October 2016. And you can still get great quality 4K video from that original model.
From the look of that teaser image released by Google, they are going for the exact same camera housing design as the Apple iPhone 11. You know, the one everyone has been unhappy about as it looks a little clumsy.
Yes, rumours suggest the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will have a new square camera array carrying two sensors instead of one. That’s the first time Pixel phones have had dual-lens rear cameras. According to the renders, Google Pixel 4 will use two camera lenses and a TOF sensor.
However, other rumours say the square-shaped camera modules on the rear will house three sensors and an LED flash. Also, there will be an upgraded primary camera and a new 16-megapixel sensor that’s fitted with a telephoto zoom lens.
One source says a third ‘spectral sensor’ will be included which could allow the ability to improve both low-light photography and portrait images. This would be done by capturing more accurate depth data, better identifying materials, and registering x-rays and ultraviolet.
Meanwhile, it looks like the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL will go from 4 GB RAM for the previous models to 6 GB RAM. Google will reportedly also improve screen resolution: up to 2280×1080 (Pixel 4) and 3040×1440 (Pixel 4 XL).
What is a TOF sensor?
A ToF sensor is a depth mapping tool. ToF stands for Time of Flight and refers to how the camera measures the time it takes for light to travel to and bounce off objects, using the delay to judge distance. The sensor basically allows the smartphone to see the world in 3D.
The Huawei P30 Pro has a ToF sensor. A ToF camera creates a depth map of the scene in its field of view. Photography and augmented reality are the two most obvious uses. Google is likely to bring ToF depth support to its ARCore augmented reality platform as part of Android 10 “Q”.
Google’s Pixel 4 smartphone will have motion control and face unlock https://t.co/IsnWkaEiL3 by @etherington pic.twitter.com/bJA4ueeEEZ
— TechCrunch (@TechCrunch) July 29, 2019
Read more: What are the best smartphones for video shooting?
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